LIN FAMILY RULES

Stay in Our Home

This week has been extremely tough for our family. Early in the morning there was a sharp knock at the door. I opened the door and saw that it was Yoyo, whom the whole family had been longing to get in touch with.

"A Cheng, I'm so scared. My dad insists on forcing me to have an abortion. I secretly climbed out of the window. I'm so afraid, afraid that I'll never see you again. I'm homeless now.," When my mom saw Yoyo it was like she saw a savior, she didn't care about her messy hair and swollen face, she pulled her over to me, her tone was even more affectionate than my brother's "Don't worry, child. From now on, you'll stay here and take care of the baby. This is your home, and your father will understand once the baby is born." "Really? Can Uncle and Auntie let me have the master bedroom? I want better lighting and a better mood for the baby. I have servants at home to take care of everything!"

And so, Yoyo moved into our house, where she began to dictate things. She made specific requests, and the entire family treated her like royalty. She complained about not being able to stand the smell of smoke, so my dad and brother moved to the company dormitory. She wanted both Western and Chinese breakfast options. My mom woke up at 4 am to cook for her, a variety of dishes with small portions, delicately presented. My mom, exhausted from preparing elaborate breakfasts, didn't even want to do her morning exercises anymore. At noon, Yoyo and I would sleep together in the room, and at night, I worked at a late-night food stall. I was paid hourly, earning around 200 yuan per night. So, my mom was the one taking care of Yoyo at night. Yoyo frequently called my brother, saying,

"A Cheng, when will you come back? I miss you so much. Does Auntie dislike me? Maybe I shouldn't stay here. I'll leave."

Each time, my brother didn't know what to say, and she would sweetly smile, saying, "Alright, I'll give Auntie another chance. If she doesn't want me to stay here, I'll listen to my dad and have an abortion."

"This vegetable is stir-fried until it's so old. Are you trying to choke me?"

"Can't you even peel this crab?"

"Is there too much soy sauce in this braised beef? It's terrible. Auntie, are you deliberately making it unpleasant for me?"

"And this fish has not been deboned properly. Auntie, can't you do anything right? How can someone be so incompetent at removing fish bones?" Spurt Yoyo sprayed a mouthful of milk on my mom's face, tears streaming down her face. "Auntie, I know you don't want me to stay. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come up here following the house rules. This cold milk will surely give me diarrhea. If I have diarrhea for a long time, I might miscarry. Sob, I'd rather go back." During the day, when we had enough sleep, Yoyo focused on keeping my mom company. My mom would sleep early in the evening, and Yoyo would wake her up every half an hour. She complained of back pain, leg discomfort, or headaches, insisting on following the kneeling ritual outlined in the house rules. She would rub her hands to generate heat and perform 50 strokes on the left and 50 on the right. No more, no less. During the day, when Yoyo was awake, she would order meals. Every time, she ordered four dishes, taking just one bite of each and claiming they didn't suit her taste. She would then ask me to cook something else. "I can't bear this life any longer. It's too much. On top of everything, she demands imported fruits today and Wagyu beef with caviar tomorrow. In just three days, my entire monthly salary is gone," my mom complained to my brother. My brother, indifferent to her suffering, lectured my mom, saying, "If you spare the rod, you'll spoil the child. Besides, if she follows the house rules, she won't find any faults. She's pregnant now; endure a bit more. Moreover, Youyou has promised me that I can get familiar with their family's business. Once we control their assets, the money will be ours. After we secure the family fortune, you can manage it as you like." However, after some time, my dad began saying such things to both of them. On Wednesday, Yoyo went for a prenatal checkup, and my dad and brother returned to fetch some clothes. My brother, tanned and disheveled, explained, "Recently, I've been working at the construction site." "What about your previous job?" "I resigned. Now I'm working on the investment project funded by Youyou's family. They want me to get familiar with the work. If the supervisor finds me competent, I'll be in charge of the project. Once I manage this project well, I'll be given control of a subsidiary company." "It's just that the construction site is too exhausting. The supervisor either makes me mix concrete, bend steel bars, or plaster walls every day. I don't get a salary, and I have to bring them cigarettes and alcohol every day. But I've also heard some news. This project has a 50 million investment, and based on their past project experiences, it should yield at least 20 million. Additionally, personal investment is allowed. They say not everyone can invest, though." My dad patted his shoulder, "Son, endure a bit more. Better days are ahead. Does their project really make so much money?" "Well, when the supervisor is drunk, he mentioned it. Dad, should we invest some money? The supervisor said even managerial-level employees have invested, and the more you invest, the more you get. Last year, a manager said they received a 2 million return." "Let's wait for Yoyo to come back and ask her. She knows about their family business," my dad suggested. In the afternoon, when Yoyo came home, my dad and brother were still waiting. "Hello, Uncle. Hello, Auntie! Ah Cheng, you're back. I'm so happy. The doctor said the baby is developing well." "Yoyo, what's this about the investment in your family's project?" my brother asked that concerned him the most. "Investment? Which investment? Our family has many projects," Yoyo replied, looking puzzled. "It's the project A Cheng is interning at," my dad hurriedly added. "Oh, that one. Yes, our family adopts this kind of model for all projects. All employees can participate, and the more you invest, the more returns you get. But the entry point is high, starting at 500,000 yuan." "So big, and you didn't tell me earlier?" "I'm sorry, A Cheng. This time, my dad cut off my card to make us break up. I don't have enough money to invest, and I'm afraid my dad will catch me if I go to invest." "Is this investment reliable? Can you really get a 4x return by investing 500,000 yuan?" "I'm not very sure about that. I usually spend the money my dad gives me. But at the company, I've heard other uncles talking about it. One uncle even said they got a 5 million bonus from the last project. They said they'll give me a big gift when I get married." "A Cheng, do you want to invest? I can ask for you," Yoyo offered kindly.